Thursday, November 02, 2006

mikan, tea pots and chocolate

As I walked through the shopping arcade this morning, I came upon a little pick-up truck selling a bucketful of mikan for 400 yen (about $4). I have often seen vendors selling their wares, but never thought to stop.

Mikan is Japan's tangerine, the skin is so thin that you can peel it in one go, and there are no seeds! About this time of year they come out at the markets. I think it is to help people fight and prevent colds. Can you believe I was buying them from the supermarket for 398 yen for 8 medium sized ones or the same price for 10 small sized ones?

After seeing this man's sign though--I bought a bucketful! 33 small sized ones, still worth it, I hope they are sweet...

Walking back with my load of mikan, for some reason or other I was thinking about tea. Which got me to thinking about how many different tea pots I have.

There is the Bodum tea pot which I use for herb tea and black tea which we received from friends after moving to Japan with matching cups and saucers.

The Chinese tea pot which I use for different Chinese teas--sometimes you see these in Chinese restaurants it is big and heavy, hmmm...I wonder where Satoshi got this one, he had it before we got married....

The Japanese tea pot which I use for green teas or other Japanese teas. We received this one from Satoshi's co-worker for our wedding and came with matching tea cups.

How many do you own?

Lastly, I wanted to share with you more chocolates. These are made by Glico.

"Fuyu"(winter) are chocolate covered mac nuts and almonds with a thin cocoa powder layer on top.

Carrenoix -chocolate with sliced almond and a layer of pralines.

Both are very addicting!

Tomorrow is a holiday, Bunka no hi, Culture day!

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

ah funny, I think it is nice to do this. I have SO MANY teapots, my hubbie begged me to stop buying them! ;-)
Have fun tomorrow

Anonymous said...

Wow, that is really cheap for mikans! Hope they are yummy! Teapots, very fun! I have had many of them, but currently, I have three--a beautiful modern one with some Asian painting on them from Good Afternoon Tea or whatever that shop is called, lol, one small one-cup-er Japanese one for when it's just me, and a new one I bought recently, orange with cream designs, with matching creamer, teacups and saucers, from Kitchen Comforts or whatever that shop is called--the Japanese shops always have weird English names--almost correct English--but not, lol.

K and S said...

Thank you Bea! Like black shoes, you can never have enough tea pots :)

Thank you TM, I know what you mean about the weird English here, sometimes I gotta think twice to make sure what is right!

Take care you two!

Kat

Anonymous said...

I have one my grandmother gave which sits under a tea cosy. A little green one my mother in law bought in Hawaii. I tend to use one of those little metal balls you fill with leaves and put int he cup before pouring hot water on them.

K and S said...

Hi Barbara,

Whenever I make tea just for myself I use a metal net like thing to make it. Your tea pots sound so special!

Take care!

Kat

Anonymous said...

OMG, that last teapot is just gorgeous! I, sadly, do not even own one. :-( As per your score on the mikan...those should help keep any illnesses at bay.

K and S said...

Thanks Rowena!

I'm hoping we won't come down with anything, last year was killers!

Take care!

Kat